Student Appreciation Awards, 2001

by George Zamora

SOCORRO, N.M., April 16, 2001 -- Five students and two student groups have been selected as this year's recipients of the Student Appreciation Awards at New Mexico Tech. This marks the third year the award has been given to students who have demonstrated leadership and service at the state-supported research university.

This year's winners are Tech undergraduates Carolyn Munk, Jessica Peck, and Michaelann Shortencarrier. New Mexico Tech graduate student winners are Carsten Brandt and Aaron Schnell.

For the first time in the awards' short history, two student groups tied as award recipients: the New Mexico Tech Physics Club and the Tech Chinese Students and Scholars Association.

The student winners and groups will be honored at an awards dinner in May.

"This award is the university's way of saying 'Thank you' to students who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to their peers, to the university, and to the community," says Emily Nye, associate professor of English at New Mexico Tech and founding member of the Student Appreciation Awards Committee. "We have so many terrific, dedicated students who deserve to be acknowledged for their efforts. It was hard to select the most deserving."

The honored New Mexico Tech students were nominated by their professors, campus employers, and fellow students. The Student Appreciation Awards Committee is comprised of representatives from the university offices of Financial Aid, Student Affairs, Advising Resource Center, Residential Life, Educational Outreach, and Graduate Studies.